OSU EXTENSION | Washing hands can save lives

By Gale Mills Extension Educator

Thursday

Feb 15, 2018 at 12:01 AM

The Global Handwashing Partnership, a partnership of multiple sectors from private entities, academic institutions, governmental agencies and community based organizations all promoting the effectiveness of handwashing. Here are some statistics that will amaze you:

• In 2016, there were an estimated 52.2 million cases of the common cold and 25 million cases of the flu, with 11 million flu-associated medical visits, 310,000 hospitalizations and 12,000 deaths in the U.S.

• Between October 2016 and January 2017, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) reported 31,238 influenza cases in the U.S.

• In the U.S. cold and flu infections were the main reasons children missed school and adults missed work.

• Handwashing with soap is all the more necessary to prevent infections, which key moments can prevent respiratory infections by 16-21%.

Why is handwashing important? It is one of the most important ways to prevent the spread of germs. When hands are not washed, germs can get into foods/drinks, can multiply in foods, can get on other objects (handrails, table tops, toys), and can be passed on to other people directly through handshakes, hugs etc.

Here are the key times when hands should be washed:

• When visibly soiled

•After changing diapers or helping someone in the bathroom

• After touching animals

• Before preparing food or eating

• After handling raw meats

• After using the bathroom

• Before feeding another

• After coughing or sneezing

• Before touching any part of the body especially the mouth, eyes and nose.

Be careful not to re-infect hands when turning off the faucet or holding the door open to leave a public or private restroom. Instead use a paper towel for protection.

Here is the CDC’s scientific evidence for disease prevention through handwashing: Diarrhea and pneumonia are the leading causes of death for children under the age of five. Handwashing with soap is among the most effective and inexpensive ways to prevent these diseases. This simple behavior can save lives, cutting diarrhea by almost one-half and acute respiratory infections by nearly one-quarter. Handwashing with soap impacts not just health and nutrition, but also education, economics, and equity.

So here are some recommendations for avoiding the flu: get the flu shot; wash hands and avoid touching eyes, nose and mouth. Germs spread rapidly in the air and by touching objects that have germs. Be kind to others – stay home when sick!

Here are the steps to Proper handwashing:

• Wet hands with clean, running water and apply soap.

• Lather soap and palms, backs of hands, around and under fingernails and between fingers.

• Rub vigorously for 20 seconds. Sing the Happy Birthday song twice or sing the ABC’s to adequately wash hands.

• Rinse hands.

• Dry hands with paper towel.

Make handwashing a habit! Teach very young children and be a good role model. Display signs/posters in restrooms. Reward young children with stickers when handwashing is done well. Make a game (without overdoing), keep track of the number of times hands are washed in a 24 hour period. Encourage friends, classmates, co-workers and family to wash hands!

Handwashing with soap is an easy, effective, and affordable do-it-yourself protection that prevents infections and saves lives! Let us all help prevent the spread of the flu here in Washington and Nowata counties!

Gale Mills is a family and consumer sciences educator for the Oklahoma State Cooperative Extension Service in Nowata and Washington counties. To schedule a program in any area of family and consumer sciences, contact Mills at 918-534-2216 or email gale.mills@okstate.edu.

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